Current Affairs 18 July 2026

Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin Scheme

The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana was launched by the Maharashtra government on 28 June 2024 to promote women’s economic independence, improve their health and nutrition, and strengthen their role in household decision-making. Eligible women aged 21–65 receive ₹1,500 per month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme is implemented by the State Women and Child Development Department.

Daman Gets Its First Direct Air Connectivity through NAMO Airport

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and the Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Praful Patel, flagged off the inaugural Daman–Delhi–Daman flight from NAMO Airport, Daman, on 16 July 2026. The service marked Daman’s first-ever direct air connection.

NAMO Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 June 2026.

NITI Aayog Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035

NITI Aayog has released the “Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035”, proposing a mission-mode strategy to place India among the world’s top three biotechnology powers. The roadmap has been prepared under the NITI Frontier Tech Hub, which focuses on emerging technologies such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology.

A major recommendation is the creation of a ₹50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund for the 2026–35 period. The proposed fund seeks to address the biotechnology sector’s “valley of death” — the financing gap between successful laboratory research and commercial-scale production. It may provide blended finance, equity-risk support, viability-gap funding, and infrastructure assistance.

The roadmap aims to expand India’s bioeconomy from $195.3 billion in 2025 to $691 billion by 2035, and further to $2.6 trillion by 2047. It also envisages the creation of more than 30 million high-value jobs through biotechnology-led growth.

It recommends a dedicated Production Linked Incentive scheme for biomanufacturing and six National BioMissions: GeneIndia, AgriBio 2.0, BioX Foundry, One Health Grid, Marine Biotechnology, and BioPharmaNext. These missions cover gene and cell therapies, climate-resilient agriculture, synthetic biology, disease surveillance, marine bio-resources, and advanced biopharmaceuticals.

The roadmap seeks to build upon the BioE3 Policy, which stands for Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment. It emphasises regulatory reforms, coordinated governance, advanced manufacturing, and stronger links between research institutions, startups, and industry.

Key Points for Exams:

• NITI Aayog Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
• Proposed BioEconomy Growth Fund: ₹50,000 crore
• Proposed fund period: 2026–35
• India’s bioeconomy in 2025: $195.3 billion
• Bioeconomy target for 2035: $691 billion
• Bioeconomy target for 2047: $2.6 trillion
• Number of proposed National BioMissions: Six

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak in the U.S.A

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a major rise in cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. From 1 May to 13 July 2026, the CDC received reports of 1,645 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases across 34 States. More than 5,100 additional reports required further analysis.

NITI Aayog’s Investment Friendliness Index 2026

NITI Aayog released the Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026, a data-driven framework for assessing how effectively States and Union Territories create and maintain an environment conducive to investment. The index is intended to promote State-level reforms and strengthen competitive and cooperative federalism.

The IFI covers all 28 States and eight Union Territories. It evaluates their investment ecosystems across eight pillars: infrastructure, business climate, resources, government policy, regulatory ease, institutional environment, financial health and environmental resilience. The framework comprises 84 indicators, including secondary data and feedback collected through an investor perception survey.

Based on the overall assessment, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Odisha emerged as the Top Performers. Gujarat ranked first among the Large States, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Uttarakhand led the Hilly and North-Eastern States category, while Goa topped the City States and Union Territories category.

Andhra Pradesh ranked 6th among the 17 Large States in NITI Aayog’s Investment Friendliness Index 2026, with a score of 48.7 out of 100. It was classified as a Frontrunner. Karnataka also recorded a rounded score of 48.7.

States and Union Territories were placed in four performance groups: Top Performers with scores above 50, Frontrunners with scores between 45 and 50, Emerging Performers with scores from 40 to below 45, and Aspiring States with scores below 40. Fifteen States were classified as Frontrunners, while eight States or Union Territories were placed in each of the Emerging and Aspiring categories.

Key Points for Exams:

• Index: Investment Friendliness Index 2026
• Released by: NITI Aayog
• Purpose: Assessment of State and Union Territory investment ecosystems
• Coverage: 28 States and eight Union Territories
• Number of pillars: Eight
• Number of indicators: 84
• Overall leading State: Gujarat
• Other Top Performers: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Odisha
• Large States category leader: Gujarat
• Hilly and North-Eastern States leader: Uttarakhand
• City States and Union Territories category leader: Goa

Q1. What is the proposed size of the BioEconomy Growth Fund recommended by NITI Aayog?
A. ₹20,000 crore
B. ₹35,000 crore
C. ₹50,000 crore
D. ₹75,000 crore

Q2. Cyclosporiasis, an outbreak of which was recently reported in the United States, is mainly caused by which of the following?
A. Virus
B. Bacterium
C. Parasite
D. Fungus

Q3. The Ladki Bahin Scheme, in which the Comptroller and Auditor General recently found major deficiencies in budget estimation and financial management, was launched by which State?
A. Gujarat
B. Maharashtra
C. Madhya Pradesh
D. Rajasthan

Q4. NAMO Airport, recently inaugurated for commercial flight operations, is located in which of the following places?
A. Daman
B. Diu
C. Silvassa
D. Ahmedabad

Q5. Which State secured the first rank in NITI Aayog’s Investment Friendliness Index 2026?
A. Maharashtra
B. Tamil Nadu
C. Gujarat
D. Odisha